Commanders who could not adapt to the war did not all remain in their posts. John Bull argues that by 1917 and 1918 most senior appointments were held by officers who had proved capable, while allowing for political appointments and exceptions. He connects Haig's later reputation with Lloyd George's hostile postwar writing. In his interpretation, publishing criticism after Haig's death prevented Haig from answering it. That dispute over memory needs to be distinguished from evaluating particular decisions made during the war.
Chapter · 1:22:14-1:24:14
Command replacement and the making of Haig's reputation
The replacement of failing commanders and later criticism of Haig complicate the picture of uniformly incompetent generals.